The present disclosure relates to ocular surgery, and more specifically to ocular surgery that involves intrusion into a human eye.
The human eye, in simple terms, functions to provide vision by transmitting and refracting light through a clear outer portion called the cornea and focusing the image by way of the lens onto the retina at the back of the eye. The quality of the focused image depends on many factors including the size, shape, and length of the eye, and the shape and transparency of the cornea and lens and the condition of the retina.
When trauma, age, or disease causes the lens to become less transparent, vision deteriorates because of a reduction in light transmitted to the retina. This deficiency in the eye's lens is medically known as a cataract. The treatment for this condition is often surgical removal of the lens and implantation of an artificial lens, often termed an intraocular lens (IOL).
Trauma, age, or disease may also cause the retina to peel away from its support tissue, often termed retinal detachment. Retinal detachment is more common among those with severe myopia, but may also occur as a result of physical trauma to the eye, cataract surgery, or diabetic retinopathy. Initial detachments may be localized, but without rapid treatment, the entire retina may detach, leading to vision loss and blindness.
A variety of other conditions may also require eye surgery. For example, membranes on the retina, epiretinal membrane (ERM), breaks in the internal limiting membrane (ILM), and posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) may require surgery.
To perform eye surgery, the patient's eyelids are often immobilized. This can cause the outside of the eye (e.g., the cornea) to dry out, which is detrimental to the cornea. Additionally, effluent that occurs during surgery may prevent good visibility by the surgeon into the anterior chamber of the eye. To combat these problems, an assistant (e.g., a nurse) typically moisturizes the eye undergoing surgery with a syringe filled with a saline solution.